The Ascendance Deceiver

Stockholm

Alayn crumpled to the unforgiving ground, his consciousness slipping away like sand through his fingers. The consequences of channeling 20% of his newfound godlike ability had caught up to him, leaving him feeling as though every sinew in his body had torn asunder. Though he had foreseen some of the repercussions, he hadn't expected the toll it would exact on his very existence.

Even a mere fraction of a god's authority was overwhelming for a mere human like Alayn. His mortal vessel, unaccustomed to such power, strained to endure the sudden surge, and the ten-second time limit had now elapsed, forcing his body to revert to its natural state to withstand the strain.

As the searing pain of the power's drawbacks coursed through him, he also found himself grappling with the excruciating wounds inflicted by the blond-haired woman's deadly daggers. While the bleeding had ceased upon his victory over Neo and the absorption of his ability at 20% potential, the wounds themselves remained, a